“How your team plays tells you what kind of coach you are," Pruitt said. "Their team played better than our team today. That’s on me."

Here are five things we learned.

Vols should be sick of Grier

Grier’s Heisman Trophy campaign got off to a fine start. He threw three TDs in the third quarter to give WVU a comfortable three-score advantage after the Mountaineers clung to a 13-7 lead at halftime, with the Vols entering the break with some momentum.

In 2015, Grier wore a Florida uniform. He engineered back-to-back fourth-quarter touchdown drives to lift the Gators to a 28-27 comeback victory over the Vols.

Grier's team didn't need a furious finish on Saturday. He was efficient in exposing the Vols’ inexperienced secondary to the tune of 25-of-34 passing for 429 yards.

Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) lines up a pass during the Belk College Kickoff between Tennessee and West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, September 1, 2018.

Jarrett Guarantano accurate when he has time

Pruitt opted not to juggle quarterbacks. Jarrett Guarantano took every snap until late in the fourth quarter, when graduate transfer Keller Chryst entered.

Guarantano took his share of licks, including getting drilled by defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow Jr. on the game’s first play. Later, safety Toyous Avery Jr. came untouched on a blitz and hit Guarantano so hard his helmet dislodged.

When Guarantano had time to think, though, he made mostly smart decisions and sharp throws. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 172 yards with a touchdown.

“I thought he kept his poise, which is important for a quarterback," Pruitt said.

The quarterback job remains Guarantano's, as it has been since the middle of last season, but Pruitt said Chryst will get an opportunity next week against East Tennessee State.

Tennessee running back Tim Jordan (9) fights for extra yards during the Tennessee Volunteers’ game against West Virginia in the Belk College Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018.

Running with purpose

Tim Jordan ran angry. He needed to, because there wasn’t always a hole to work with.

Pruitt shows what he’s made of on fourth-and-1

When Guarantano’s third-down scramble was stopped a yard and a half short of the goal line in the second quarter, Pruitt stormed onto the field and emphatically waved for the offense to stay on the field. He opted for a timeout but didn’t change his mind.

Rather than settling for a field goal, Pruitt took the aggressive approach.

"If you can’t get it in from there, it don’t say a whole lot for you," Pruitt said.

With Guarantano under center and just one Vols wide receiver on the field, WVU put 10 men in the box. Guarantano completed a play-action pass to Dominick Wood-Anderson, who was open in the back of the end zone.